Achieving a healthy work-life balance is a challenge for many full-time workers, who must juggle career demands alongside personal responsibilities. This challenge can be particularly pronounced for working women, who often bear a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and caregiving duties, which can limit their ability to maintain balance. In highly developed countries, where expectations for career success and competitiveness are high, these demands may be amplified, further straining women’s efforts to achieve work-life balance. In the current study, we analyzed data from more than 30,000 participants across 91 cultures, collected through the Global Research Project on Work Addiction. Work-life balance was measured using three items developed by Haar (2010), with measurement invariance supported across cultures and between genders. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that being a woman was associated with lower work-life balance. Moreover, in cultures with higher economic development, this relationship was even stronger, suggesting that economic context may exacerbate gender disparities in work-life balance, with women facing greater challenges in managing work and personal life. This highlights the need to address these imbalances as economies grow and emphasizes the importance of implementing gender-sensitive policies, promoting equitable workplace practices, and supporting caregiving responsibilities to ensure that progress benefits all members of society equally.
Book of Abstracts [Unofficial – Accepted Presentation, Abstract Submission Ongoing]
Balancing at the Edge: Gender Differences in Work-Life Balance Among Full-Time Workers Across 91 Cultures